A common task encountered in distillation processes is where one must introduce a multicomponent liquid feed stream at pressure P.sub.2 into a distillation column operating at lower pressure P.sub.1. For example, in the state of the art double column air separation cycle, the crude liquid oxygen bottoms from the high pressure column must be reduced in pressure prior to being fed to the low pressure column for further rectification.
Typically, as shown in FIG. 1, the above noted task is accomplished by simply reducing the pressure of the multicomponent liquid feed stream across a valve prior to its introduction into the distillation column. Referring now to FIG. 1, multicomponent liquid feed stream 10 is reduced in pressure across valve V1 prior to its introduction into distillation column C1 as stream 11.
It is an object of the present invention to devise an improved scheme for accomplishing this task whereby the subsequent separation of the feed stream in the distillation column is made more efficient.